Colorado lawmakers debate hot-button topics on busy, busy Monday

Guns, primary election ballots and academic freedom were some of the hot-button topics lawmakers tackled during a day that included a series of hearings on high-profile bills. A look at some of what happened today:

CREDIT SCORE: Colorado business groups that opposed a 2012 bill in the state Legislature to limit companies’ use of credit reporting in hiring and promotion decisions went neutral on a similar bill offered this year, leading the heavily amended effort to get approval from its first state Senate committee Monday. Story by the Denver Business Journal.

THE UNION LABEL: Senate Democrats gave initial approval to a bill making it easier for firefighters to unionize, a proposal that Republicans are urging Gov. John Hickenlooper to veto if it makes it to his desk. Stories by The Denver Post and the Colorado Springs Gazette.

RENEWABLE ANGER: Legislators tightened the screws on the Colorado Energy Office on Monday after a scathing audit showed the office’s accounting was so poor it could not prove it had done anything to advance renewable energy in Colorado. Story by Durango Herald.

PRIMARY BALLOTS: The top election officials in two of Colorado’s largest counties testified Monday that taxpayers are spending thousands of dollars mailing ballots to voters in uncontested primaries, a practice that upsets both Democrats and Republicans. Story by The Denver Post.

THE YOUTH VOTE: A proposal to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote by checking a box on their driver’s license application cleared its first legislative hurdle on Monday. Story by Fox 31.

MAKE MY DAY BETTER: Democrats rejected a Republican proposal to give business owners and employees in Colorado the right to use deadly force against suspected intruders. Story by The Associated Press.

ANOTHER ABORTION BILL DIES: A Senate committee kills an abortion bill that Planned Parenthood says wasn’t necessary because where state law already prohibits public funds from being used to directly or indirectly pay for an induced abortion or to reimburse anyone for an induced abortion.

CLEAN YOUR CLOCK: A Senate committee killed a bill to allow Coloradans to vote on whether to remain on daylight saving year around, but at least it was still light out when testimony ended. Story by The Denver Post.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.